A Friendly Hustle

by Blkdragon7

A few years after the Missing Mammal & Nighthowler cases, Nick and Judy are officially mates. They have managed to keep it a secret until they discover that their friends Lizz Fangmeyer and Mike Wolford are also in a mate level relationship. To help their friends, Nick and Judy draw Lizz and Mike to a restaurant to reveal their knowledge and their own relationship.

88. Chapter 88

Here is the 88th installment. Nothing else really to add at this time.

Additional notes live at the end of the chapter, when they exist, so here is the obligatory, on with the show.

Sadly, I do not own and thus can claim no rights to Zootopia or its characters. They belong to Disney.

It continues…. Enjoy.

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xxxXXXxxx

Operation Wild Cards ~230pm Zootopia time

Team Code: WildeHopps - Part 2

Members:

Nicholas WildeHopps Judy HoppsWilde Yernet Arronsen

Henry Billus Ghret Brandon James Hertzwool

Target: Ranking Senior CIty Council Member Meadowlaw

Location: Grazer Tower, 110th floor

xxxXXXxxx

Nick and Judy quickly recruited three officers from a pool that had been established at the precinct for just that purpose. Each team had a lead member or two, and then the rest of the team would be swapped out after each set of arrests. The team would take care of the booking and processing of whomever they had just brought in, while the team lead or leads would collect new members to head back out. Once the arrests and paperwork was finished, those members would then go back into the pool.

This meant that the team of Fourneth Penniwinkle, Gerald Clawhauser, Jacob Trunkabee, and Francine Eliforres were dealing with the booking of the council members and the buffalo. Francine, Trunkabee, and Penniwinkle then taking charge of their own teams while Gerald was happy to go back into the pool.

From the pool, Nick and Judy recruited a large wolf named Arronsen from the Forest district, an elk named Ghret from Meadowlands, and a black sheep named Hertzwool who was actually a retired Military Police officer going through a short refresher program for transferring officers. He was however described to the others as a deputized recruit that was part of the next graduating class. That wasn't untrue, but it was also not the whole truth either.

With Judy driving, they piled into Z240 and headed towards where Meadowlaw was expected to be showing up soon, if not there already. Nick quickly verified they had the needed warrant and passed out copies. Turning slightly in his seat to look at the three officers in the back, all three of which were noting that despite the vehicle being driving by a rabbit, the three of them fit in the back quite easily.

Hertzwool looked over the warrant and actually gasped in surprise. "Wait! We have authorization to shoot him, the ranking senior council member? My gods, what is going on? I thought getting the option to get deputized since I was part of the next graduating class next month was just to supplement the hunt for the terrorist."

Arronsen chuckled. "Sorry, kid. If you think this was all about a single terrorist, I have some sunny beach front property in the nocturnal district to sell you. I don't know what all is going on, but I knew it had nothing to do with that terrorist."

Nick nodded. "Well… That is true enough, but not the entire situation either. We are going after terrorists. Plural. Just not that one they've been talking about on the news. We're going after what we hope is the last of the terrorist cells that Bellwether was part of. We always knew there were more, and we have chipped away at them. You can't just arrest every prey mammal in the city and hope to figure out who is who."

Ghret chuckled from the back seat. "Yeah, that would just be asking for all kinds of trouble. That could quickly be called out as a violation of constitutional rights, specist persecution, and all sorts of other problems in getting any charges you did manage levy against anyone, no matter how true, to stick.

Even what little I have seen and heard going down is going to have a lot of mammals in a panic. But seriously, Meadowlaw has always been untouchable. You must have some serious dirt on him to finally be able to go after him, again. I mean, didn't he get arrested by Chief Bogo himself a while back?"

Judy spoke as she drifted around a corner, sirens going as cars got out of her way. "Yeah. Finally! The money he's been using to basically buy his way through elections in spite of his positions on things and the regressive and specist laws he tries to push. That same money he uses to bully and buy his way out of legal accountability. Well, he's also been using that wealth to fund pretty much all the terrorist cells we are targeting today.

With some help from some banking industry independent auditors, we have finally been able to untangle the web of money, shell corporations, fake charities, and straw donations, linking Meadowlaw to all the terrorists we are arresting today. He's been funding the terrorists from the beginning and we can now prove that he's the one actually doing it.

Because of that, as of about an hour from now, all his accounts and everything else will be frozen, and all his accounts have already been flagged so he won't be able to make any major withdrawals or transfers." Judy chuckled darkly as she maneuvered through some traffic that was having a hard time deciding how to get out of the way. "He is probably going to have to use a public defender because of it. His entire fortune, unless he can get out of it all without the use of that money, is going to be forfeit. It's kinda poetic that he'll be forced to use the public defender system he worked so tirelessly to underfund.

We were hoping that he would be at the council meeting, but sadly he was not. He's also too smart to panic and just run. He's going to behave as normally as he can while he prepares to escape the city. We know he has stashes and contingencies, and with us hitting so many different cells at the same time, taking down Raincast and others at her level. He'll know that we likely have him dead to rights, or will soon. So he's going to try leaving the city, but not in an obvious way."

Ghret nodded again. 'Sounds right. What's up with this cruiser though? It's clearly a cruiser, but it isn't. The paint job for one thing. that deep, deep purple and the green highlights. Looks really nice, actually."

Nick chuckled. "Yeah. The guys in the garage thought they would be funny when they did some reconfiguration now that we're officially detectives. It's why you don't look like your sitting in the usual cage. They figured we would make them repaint it. Judy and I rather liked it. It's unique, but doesn't stand out at the same time."

"But no cage?"

Nick reached forward and flipped a switch causing the cage deploy in a matter of moments. Glancing back with a grin at the three stunned mammals in the back before flipping the switch again, causing the cage bars and reinforcements to with drawl into the doors and seats. "Modifications added by a friend of ours. Master mechanic among other skills. Helps it look less like a cruiser and more like just a nice car. Useful during stake outs."

Arronsen chuckled with a smile. "That I believe. Given who we are going after. Do you think he might have nighthowler as a deterrent?"

Nick nodded with a grim frown. "Yes, and if he does. You need to let Judy and I deal with that. We are, while not immune… we are not going to be affected like you would be."

"So it's true then?" Hertzwool asked.

Judy smirked, shutting off the lights and sirens as they cut through downtown. "Almost there. Also, what's true depends on what you are referencing."

Arronsen shook his head. "Only that you have been hit with NIghtHowler so many times that it doesn't make you fully savage anymore. Makes you… what was the term I heard… Feral?"

Pulling the Cruiser down the ramp into the underground parking garage of one of the major residential high-rises of downtown, Judy didn't even bother with the public or even the general resident area and drove straight to the VIP area. The fact that the guard saw them coming and simply lifted the gate for them without them needing to stop or even slow, caused the three mammals in the back to raise an eyebrow. "That is pretty much accurate. Though the exact effect depends on the formulation. Even something new is going to be less likely to have an impact than it would on you."

Ghret took note of where they actually were and frowned. "How did you get past the guard without at least stopping and showing your badge? This is the VIP parking area. This is where Gazelle would park her car. Meadowlaw doesn't' even get to park here." Then noting the car they were parking next to. "That's Gazelle's car! What?"

Nick shrugged. "Long stories for another time. Note the spot's reservation." Pointing to a plaque on the wall.

Looking up he sees the plaque. Reserved for Nick and Judy's adorable kits, by Auntie Maria and Uncle Jarvis. Ghret waved a paw at the plaque. "What?"

Shutting off the engine, Judy chuckled. "Oh gods, did she really have it updated?"

Nick rolled his eyes and exited the car. "Looks like it. She's gonna be pissed when she finds out we are here and don't have the kits with us."

Judy frowned as she joined Nick at the back of the cruiser. "We're working. The fact we have a spot just makes this operation a bit simpler." The other three officers watch as she opens the back of the cruiser and gawk at the weapons on display. Even more so as they are each issued one appropriately sized for them.

Arronsen checks over the rifle he was handed with a deep frown, pocketing the spare magazines. "Good gods, what the hell! How does Bogo let you drive around with that… arsenal?"

Judy chuckled while Nick responded. "You'll have to ask him. However, we have far more important things to deal with right now. Let's go." Closing up the back of the cruiser. "Judy. I'll, ping Henry and find out if Meadowlaw is in the building or not." Nick pulled out his phone and quickly dialed a number. "Hey Henry. … Yeah, no. Quick question though. Councilor Meadowlaw. … Yeah, trying to avoid his specist tail. … He's not home? Okay, he must be in his office then. Text me when he… Thanks. Appreciate it." Nick ends the call with a grin.

Judy nodded. "Good, he'll be headed here soon then."

Following the fox and rabbit to the private elevator, the three other officers are clearly asking questions of themselves. Hertzwool finally breaks as the elevator doors close, having noted that Judy had the needed security card to activate the elevator. "Seriously. Who do you know? You have a parking spot in this area. Access to the private elevator, one that while having monitoring, is ultra secure. How!"

Nick shrugged. "We both knew Maria before she was famous. So, we get some perks others don't. Besides, it isn't as if she isn't one of the kits guide parents. Anyway, this is an express, so it'll only take a few more seconds."

A moment later the elevator stopped and opened to a small hallway with seven doors. Eight including the elevator. Three on one side, three on the other and one at the end opposite the elevator. Stepping into the small hallway, Judy checks their map and nods. "Okay, his apartment is the one at the end. He actually owns all of the suites on this level. We suspect he keeps some mammals here, but have never been able to confirm. As you noted, it's been all but impossible until we finally managed to unravel the financial side of things, to get a warrant that would let us come here and check.

So here's what you need to know. If we find anyone in these rooms as prisoners, and no matter their state, you will NOT take any actions. We need to take him down first, THEN we can deal with whatever we find. It is also possible that there may be guards, deal with them as needed. You read the warrant, that was not for show, nor are the weapons you have been given. Do not hesitate."

Ghret nodded. "Yeah, I get that. I'm sure Arronsen gets that. Hertzwool, do you? You've not actually even graduated yet."

The ram looks down at the weapon in his hooves, a medium caliber combat shotgun. "I've been handed a lethal. Not just a lethal, but something I haven't seen since I served in an active combat zone. We have authorization to shoot to kill without warning first. If this… Scumbag has mammals held here, they're likely something like sex slaves, or someone he uses to torture when he's feeling the itch. So, yeah... I get it. We'll be doing anyone we find a favor by taking him down first. Besides, freeing them could trigger an alarm, or put us in the position of being distracted by them when we need to be watching each other's tails. The question being. How do we get into these rooms? I see isolated electronic security locks."

Nick looks up from a panel as he closes it. "Well, they were isolated. They are now on a WiFi connection and…" A click could be heard from all of them. "Now they are open." Grinning.

Judy nodded and then turned to the other. "Hertzwool, you stay here and watch the elevator. You got the briefing, so you can stop pretending to be so green. You may be a fresh recruit to the ZPD, but you're still a former MP and special forces. If needed, play the part. Ghret, Arronsen, you two sweep the three rooms on the right. Nick and I will sweep the three on the left. Once those are clear, and unless he has already arrived, we will move into the main suite. Move out."

It being clear that they were past the point of questions, the officers took up their positions. Hertzwool took up position next to the elevator and simply waited. Ghret and Arronsen quickly opened and entered the first apartment as Judy and Nick entered the first on their side. They all remained in contact via their radios.

xxxXXXxxx

Moving into the room, the first thing Arronsen noted was the scent. "There are at least two mammals in here and they absolutely reak of fear." After clearing the common areas, they located a Jaguarundi and a Capybara. Both mammals were naked, unkempt, and huddled together in one of the closets. They found them due to the steel cables attached to their ankles and anchored to the wall in each bedroom. It clearly gave them enough slack to move around the apartment, but only actually interact in the common area. The closet seemed to be the one spot that they could easily touch with some measure of privacy, and where they were comforting each other.

Seeing Ghret they both started shivering in fear, but gasped at seeing Arronsen. the Capybara speaking. "You're… You need to leave. He can't find you here."

Arronsen smirked. "Oh, don't worry. But I'm gonna lock you two in here for now. Just be quiet until we come back for you, okay?"

They nodded and held each other as Ghret closed the door and used a chair to block it closed. Exiting the room after checking in and getting the all clear from Hertzwool, they moved into the next apartment.

That apartment they cleared quickly. It was clearly set up like the first one to hold mammals, but there were none currently there. They did find the steel cables and shackles, just no one attached to them. Arronsen frowned deeply as he sniffed the air in one of the rooms. Ghret looking at him in concern. "What is it?"

Arronsen shook his head sadly. "My nose isn't nearly as good as Wilde's or Wolford's. But I'm surprised you can't smell it."

Ghret frowned. "The blood? Yeah. It's in the other bedroom. There's one of those crosses used in fetish stuff. Bits of fur, lots of blood. Whoever they were, they died on that thing and he hasn't bothered to clean it up."

Arronsen nodded. "It's fresh. Only a day old at most. He's probably not here because they are disposing of the body. CSI will have to comb through these places to try and figure out who all was held here. Gods. He is a monster."

Ghret nodded grimly. "Agreed." Keying his radio. "Room two clear. No one in here right now, but there was. Someone was killed in here recently, but there is no body. Hertzwool, we clear?"

Hertzwool responded over the radio. "Still clear, and the elevator has not moved to retrieve anyone. So for now, we are safe."

After getting the all clear, they moved on to the next room, seeing Nick and Judy just entering their second room. In this third room, they again were hit by the scent of blood, but this time much fresher. The same as the other two, a bedroom on either side of a common room. The steel cables were again clearly visible coming from one of the rooms. In the first room they found a young deer, clearly still a foal, laying on the bed, gagged, their hooves bound wrist to ankle, and blindfolded. They started thrashing in terror when they heard someone enter.

Arronsen stepped over. "Hey. Hey. Calm down. We're ZPD." This made the foal freeze. "Sniff my paw." He then put his paw over the foals nose. "See. I'm a wolf. We're here to save you, but we have to finish clearing out the bad mammals first. So just lay here and we'll be back. I promise."

Arronsen then removed the blindfold from the foal so he could see them. Seeing Arronsen he started to relax, but upon seeing Ghret, he stiffened in absolute terror. Ghret chuckled. "Shouldn't make promises like that, wolf. Especially when you won't be able to follow through." The cocking of the weapon he'd been given seemed to almost echo in the room. "Sadly, Meadowlaw will want to interrogate you, so I only get to wound you. Nice thing is, they won't hear anything. These rooms are fully sound proofed. Which I look forward to using as I make this foal mine."

Arronsen frowned deeply. "You realize that it wasn't the blood that I was picking up in the last room, right?" Locking his mic open so the others could hear. "It's the fact that I picked up your scent in that room."

Ghret chuckled. "Huh. Oh well. You won't live long enough to tell anyone about it, and anyone you do will already know."

Arronsen chuckled. "Ghret. You do know they have a list, right? A list I am quite sure you are on."

"I've seen the list. They won't know anything, and I'm not on it." Ghret's weapon reports several times in rapid succession as he tried to follow Arronsen's move to dive out of the way. Seeing Arronsen stand up on the far side of the bed holding the foal he glowered at him. "How! I know I should have hit you!"

Arronsen set the foal back on the bed and took the safety off his own weapon. "You did. Felt the hit from the non-lethal pellets. Gonna have a few bruises, like getting hit with an overclocked air-soft. Once the adrenaline wears off, I'll probably even have a limp. I can feel the sting on my calf. Now… Put the weapon down slowly. I'm hoping to take you in alive, but like others, dead is okay too in this situation. Make a move for your side arm and I'll drop you."

"What? I don't understand."

Nick chuckled from behind Ghret. "There are actually several lists, Ghret. You are on one of those lists. A list of those whose loyalty could not be confirmed one way or another. You have some activity, positions, donations, and things like that which put you under suspicion, but as you pointed out in the cruiser. Suspicion is not enough. You have now confirmed where your loyalties lie. You can surrender and go quietly, or you can not and go the hard way."

Ghret looked behind him and found Nick in the middle of the room, weapon trained on him. "Shit."

Looking back and forth between the two he tossed his rifle towards the bed and the foal on it jumped to the side, trying to put the wall between himself and Nick. Arronsen leap over the bed to prevent the rifle from hurting the foal who was screaming in terror around the gag in his mouth. As Arronsen leapt, Ghret pulled his lethal, drawing a bead on Arronsen. There was the report of two weapons as Arronsen slammed into the wall, Ghret's rifle in his paws.

Ghret groaned, stumbled, and fell to his knees. He then coughed, resulting in a splash of blood across his front. Glancing over at Arronsen who slowly stood. "What?" Then fell over, smacking his head on the corner of the bed, knocking himself out and busting open his muzzle.

Nick stepped up and shook his head. "Damn idiot. You okay Arronsen?"

The wolf nodded with a grunt. "I'll live. Those non-lethal rounds still hurt like hell. Still not sure when you were able to swap them out."

Nick smirked. "I didn't. Happened at the quartermaster. Anyone on the suspected list had their bullets swapped. they look right due to a coating of paint, but are just normal rubber bullets otherwise. Okay, not exactly normal. Since they're a short-load so as to not be lethal, the rubber bullet itself is larger to compensate for the lack of weight of powder. You'd have to be really careful and weigh each bullet to notice the difference, and even then it's only slight. In a full mag, very few mammals would be able to tell."

Arronsen chuckled and then groaned as he sat on the bed a moment. "So anyone on that list got those rounds?"

Nick nodded. "Yep. Less worried about it when we handed him the rifle out of the cruiser, so as you noted, it was basically topped out air-soft. Lots of bang. No payoff beyond a potentially nasty bruise."

Nodding, Arronsen stood up and glanced back at the foal who was looking at them in a mix of shock, fear, and a hint of hope. Especially after he saw and clearly recognized Nick. "Well, kid. Sorry but we do still have to leave you here while we finish clearing out the bad mammals, but we will be back. You gonna be okay?"

The foal looked over to where Ghret was as he groaned, their eyes widening in fear. Nick gave him a reassuring smile. "He's not going anywhere, buddy. At least not until he gets into an operating room and has my bullet removed and the damage to his spine repaired. Until then, he's paralyzed. Even then, it's going to take a year or two of physical therapy before he can walk again, feed himself, etc... However, Arronsen is right. As much as I want to free you, right now we can't. We need to deal with the rest of these monsters before we can save you, safely."

The foal nodded, wiggling back and the bad and laying back down. Arronsen looked at the weapon he was issued by Nick and Judy, as well as the lethal on his hip, then back up at Nick. "Uhm…"

Nick smiled as he headed out of the room to check the other bedroom. "Fully live ammo, so do be careful where you shoot, and mean it if you do. You were cleared months ago. Let's finish this."

Arronsen nodded and followed Nick. They checked the other room and found three more young mammals, all tied up, one in a cage. Nick looked it over, and took a slow breath then turned at the growl coming from Arronsen. Putting a paw on the wolf's chest, he pushed him out of the room and closed the door again. Arronsen looked down at Nick with barely contained rage. "Look. I know. I know! We need to finish this, and take Meadowlaw alive if at all possible. That said." Glancing behind him at the closed door, then over to the room where the foal was laying on the bed. "Alive doesn't mean not knocked around." Arronsen nodded at that with a show of teeth that was anything but friendly.

Judy poked her head into the room as Nick's phone chimed. Glancing at it he gave her a nod. "We're out of time. Meadowlaw just got here. He's a minute, maybe two from the elevator. Move it, mammals."

They quickly entered his main suite, sweeping through quickly as they didn't have time to take their time. They found the apartment to be much nicer and significantly larger than the other apartments. It actually took up the rest of the floor they were on and surrounded the small apartments being used to hold the other mammals. They quickly took up positions with Hertzwool staying where he was.

xxxXXXxxx

Nick and Judy moved into their first room. Inside they found three mammals chained up just as Arronsen and Ghret had. They were all clearly drugged heavily, so after finishing clearing the room and trying not to think about some of what they saw, and smelled, they moved into the next room. As they approached the room, they heard and acknowledged Ghret and Arronsen. Judy paused with an ear to the door of their second apartment to sweep.

As they stood there, both of their eyes went wide as they looked at each other then back at the door.

J: Nick?! What?

N: Oh, wow…. This is like level five. Right? Still us, but fully synced.

J: Yeah. Crazy. I smell, or is that you? At least ten mammals. Eager, excited. Guns. Is that really what a gun smells like?

N: Then it must be you hearing the cocking of weapons, and yes, that is what they smell like.

J: Yeah, that's me. This is wild. We're gonna have to go hard. They're going to expect us to go to one side or the other. Assuming the same layout.

N: Right. Straight in and up the middle.

J: Alright. Ready?

N: You know I am.

J: I do. Love you. Let's do this!

N: Love you more.

Cracking the door open, they peaked in and took stock, Nick peaking over Judy's head, he muzzle spreading her ears wide just like so many years before in the Asylum. A common room with a small kitchenette to one side of the entrance and a door in the left and right walls to what they assumed were bedrooms and clearly where the mammals they'd sensed were hiding behind the closed bedroom doors. With confirmation that the layout was the same, they moved into the room, the door opening only enough for them to slip through and closed just as carefully. The door closed, but not latched, they moved quickly and silently across to the far wall from the door, a line run from the door handle by Nick.

Both got into firing crouches behind a pair of stone side tables, each taking a door, leveling their rifles on it and waited as Nick used the string to pull the door open again and then let it close loudly. It took a few moments, but the doors to both bedrooms were ripped open and a good dozen mammals poured into the room, every one of them heavily armed and pointing their weapons at the door and wall on that side.

One of the lead mammals mumbling. "Where are they?"

Nick and Judy just stared at them for a long moment. Four sheep, three goats, two big horned sheep like Meadowlaw himself, as well as two white tailed and one black tailed deer bucks. Judy finally spoke. "I say this only because I am required by my own moral compass to do so. You are all under arrest. We are authorized to use lethal force. Lay your weapons on the ground, slowly, and step slowly towards the front of the room. This is the only warning you are getting."

All of them stiffened and then two of the sheep spun around. There were two weapon reports. A third spun and there were two more reports. The black tailed deer looked behind them all and saw all three sheep dropped and could see at least one of them with a bleeding hole in his head. The deer then took note of the rabbit and fox with their weapons at the ready. He gave a slow nod and then crouched slowly, laying his gun on the ground, then standing just as lowly, moved, hooves on the back of his head, fingers laced together, through the crowd to the front of the room.

One of the big horned sheep, and the one that had initially spoken, bleated in anger. "What are you doing?"

The deer, once he was nose to the wall, slid down still facing the wall, crossed his ankles and sat on them, keeping his arms up. "They dropped Jason, Bill, and Frank. Frank is definitely dead, going by the hole in his head. "I may be getting paid. I'm not getting paid nearly enough to take a bullet to the head for Meadowlaw or any of you. If you are smart, you'll do as the rabbit said."

The second big horned sheep shook his head. "Enough of this." He tightened his grip on his weapon and moved to spin around. He was near the front and the others dodged out of the way. There was another weapon report and he dropped where he stood. With that, those that had dodged out of his way lit up the back wall. Lucky for whatever was on the other side of that wall, it was ten inches of concrete. Had it just been drywall, it would have been swiss cheesed by at least a hundred rounds before the remaining big horned sheep got them to stop firing. "Stop! Stop shooting!" They all looked and realized they had hit… nothing. "Do not shoot unless you know you are actually going to hit something."

Judy's voice sounded from the doorway on one side. "Good Advice."

Nick responded from the other side. "Disabling, Fluff?"

Judy nodded from her side as the collected mammals looked to either side, seeing the rabbit and fox with an easy bead on all of them, and no way any of them could swing around. "Or dead. Depending on how insane they are."

The big horned growled. "Everyone swing at once. They can't get us all."

He moved and both Nick and Judy's weapons reported. The big horn fell with a scream of pain, his gun clattering on the ground. The two goats both responded at the same time. "Fuck this." One of them finished the thought. "Ed is right. I ain't getting paid enough for this manure. I don't care about the cause." Both set their guns down and joined the deer.

The remaining mammals looked at the small collection of dead, one seriously wounded sheep, and made a collective decision. Their weapons were carefully laid down and they joined the rest with their noses to the front wall.

Nick and Judy secured them using the various bindings provided in the bedrooms, they were tied together in a set of stars. The final sheep, bound and gagged, his wounds wrapped, was then strapped to the cross located in one of the rooms, then tranq'd.

Nick and Judy exited the room and cleared the third, finding several mammals caged up. As they were finishing up, they heard heard over the open comms Arronsen had opened the discussion between Arronsen and Ghret. Judy kept watch while Nick moved in to assist Arronsen. As Nick and Arronsen were discussing the finer points of how badly Meadowlaw could be beaten without it being excessive. Nick and Judy got pings from the front desk letting them know that Meadowlaw had arrived. Judy poked her head back in the room looking for Nick. Nick speaking. "We're out of time. Meadowlaw just got here. He's a minute, maybe two from the elevator. Move it, mammals."

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A/N

Remember to share the love. Review and Fav. It is the life blood of every writer to know you are enjoying their work. I also want to thank everyone who has Fav'd, followed, and reviewed this little project. I know that isn't much, but to me, it's huge. Even as a writer of original fiction, that you enjoy this means a lot to me as an author. You can check out my original work and link to my Blog, Scribblings, where a lot of it lives by hopping over to dcballard . com ( Direct: ascensionnovel . / scribblings (remove the spaces) because the forwarding is misbehaving.)

If you enjoy this, and you are not also reading my original Log Entries series over on my Blog. Why aren't you? (takes a Nick-esk pose of hurt) Also. I am now posting them on AO3, so you have even less excuse. It's free, ORIGINAL fiction. "An original story told through the log entries of the pilot and captain of an experimental star ship."

You should really be checking out my bestest bud, Bear678, and his story What Foxes May Come.

So keep those reviews and comments coming. And also remember, if you see issues, misspellings, etc... Let me know in PM, I'm under no illusion of being perfect and want to fix those things I miss.